Bible Reading: Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
Dear Friends
This week’s brief description of Jesus’ baptism as with the other gospel accounts occasioned significant controversy in the early church. The question at the heart of it all was simple: why was Jesus baptized?
John’s baptism was one of repentance for the forgiveness of sin. But according to church teaching, Jesus was sinless? Why, then, baptism? Many have answered over the years that he did so to identify with us. Jesus may be sinless, but we are not, and so he undergoes baptism now at the outset of his ministry just as everyone else is baptized and in this way stands in complete solidarity with us. Similarly, his being baptized even though he doesn’t need to be foreshadows his death on the cross for sins he did not commit.
Throughout his life, from his birth and baptism to his suffering and death, Jesus stands both with us and for us. It’s a good answer. I don’t know, though, if it’s Luke’s answer. What strikes me in Luke’s account are two details. First, the voice from heaven speaks to him directly and intimately: “You are my Son, the Beloved. With you I am well pleased.” What child does not long to hear that from a parent? Jesus, from this point of view, is baptized because in his baptism he receives his identity “you are my beloved Son” and affirmation of his person, ministry, value, and worth “with you I am well pleased.”
No words could have been more important to hear at the outset of his ministry. Second, in Luke’s account in particular John seems to have faded away. Whether you take the verses immediately preceding these as a narrative of recent events that is, John has now been imprisoned or as a later remembrance as in, although John is baptizing now, we know that later he will be imprisoned for all intents and purposes John has disappeared. All that is left is Jesus…and the Holy Spirit. Jesus is baptized so that he may receive the gift and power of the Holy Spirit tangibly and visibly as he is about to embark on his mission.
Identity, affirmation, Spirit this is why Jesus is baptized, I think, and also why we are, too.
Solomzi